1. Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to air conditioner outdoor units including a heat exchange apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heat exchange apparatuses to transfer heat between air and a liquid such as water using a refrigerant by connecting a compressor, an air heat exchanger, an expansion device, and a liquid heat exchanger have been widely used.
In general, a heat exchange apparatus includes a first heat exchanger to transfer heat between the refrigerant and air or a liquid and a second heat exchanger to transfer heat between the refrigerant and a liquid. Here, one first heat exchanger and one second heat exchanger are provided.
Plate type heat exchangers are generally used as the heat exchange apparatuses, and an amount of heat exchange is controlled by adjusting a stacking number of heat transfer plates in the plate type heat exchangers.
However, when the stacking number of heat transfer plates is increased to increase the amount of heat exchange of the heat exchange apparatus, a heat transfer rate of a refrigerant side may decrease due to non-uniform distribution of the refrigerant in a stacking direction of the heat transfer plates, and there is a limit to increase the stacking number of heat transfer plates.
Thus, there is a need to increase a heat transfer rate (heat transfer coefficient) of the refrigerant side and a heat transfer rate (heat transfer coefficient) of a liquid side such as water to improve heat transfer efficiency of the heat exchange apparatus without increasing the stacking number of heat transfer plates.
Also, the heat exchange apparatus is required to have a small volume, to be easily carried or installed (compact size), and to be efficiently maintained (maintainability).